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Article #694 : History of prostitution

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History of prostitution

 
Everything has its history: what we like streets. All of them had distinctive
and what we are proud of, what we don’t emblems and signs: motley bars, flower
like and what is blamed. Curious and animalistic depictions on the walls
incidents of our life and its and doors, a lantern over the door. A
appropriatenesses form the historic prostitute also wore distinctive signs.
cocktail where white and black are mixed Moreover, a sick woman, a pregnant or
or exchange their places. A man, as a married woman or a girl, who was too
chameleon, also often changes. Sometimes young, couldn’t become a prostitute.
he resists the circumstances, but Syphilis, which appeared in Europe at
sometimes he submits to them, hoping that the end of the 15th century, became a
everything will be OK or despairing blow for the society.
without any hope. He often begins to At all times “army girls” belonged to
complicate simple things, but the next the special category of prostitutes. Fuks
day understands that he was deluded. wrote in his work that there were about
Because of naivete or an accident, 4000 prostitutes in the army of Karl the
deception or aspiration for the better Brave. They took care of soldiers and
life and a desire to earn money, wounded people.
sometimes because of the fashionable Since the 18th century prostitutes were
stories about free love many young girls registered and put under the police and
become the objects of buying and selling medical supervision. If a prostitute left
– the ancient kind of business, the means the brothel, she was caught and returned
of earning money. by police.
Prostitution existed at all times. Latin Empress Elizaveta Petrovna ordered to
word “prostare” means “to sell oneself “find and catch” prostitutes both Russian
in public”. The word prostitute came from and foreign.
this word. Solon (between 640-630 – According to the edict, which was issued
about 559 BC) is considered to be the by Pavel I in 1800, all prostitutes, who
first “organizer” of such business, who were caught in both capitals (in Moscow
bought and sold prostitutes in general and St. Petersburg) must be relegated to
use. Solon was the first, in whose laws Siberia – to the Irkutsk factories.
prostitution tax appeared. By the way, M. Kuznetsov wrote in his book “The
according to his laws a wife, who was History of Prostitution in Russia” (1871)
unfaithful to her husband, could be why women became prostitutes: “Women
killed by him. Solon was also a founder without family, homeless and without any
of state brothels. possibility for subsistence… Women, who
At the times of Egyptian Pharaohs were deceived by their beloved men…
prostitutes were called “hump”. They were become prostitutes. The majority of women
recruited from dancers and musicians to make the first step under the influence
allure men in brothels by means of of a procuress. Coming to unknown
singing and dancing. capitals, inexperienced women trustingly
Ancient brothels were situated on the rely on procuresses, who give them a flat
outskirts, desert and distant places, and a work, and then… sell…”
near the market or harbour. Hetaeras (the In the 19th century the distinctive
highest category in prostitution) lived signs of the prostitute’s costume were
in the meeting houses. Frina from Athens canceled, but their manners and defiant
is considered to be one of the most gestures still betrayed them. Newspapers
ancient hetaeras. It is known that she contained a lot of marriage
reached a great age and restored the advertisements about experienced in love
walls around Thiva (the ancient town), women. A new category of prostitutes even
which were destroyed by Alexander, at her appeared – hotel girls.
expense. Some addresses of brothels are mentioned
Roman law brought the differences in the book of M. Kuznetsov: “In St.
between the categories of women out of Petersburg on Sennaya square, houses of
marriage. Prostitutes, who served Deroberti, Lermontov, Vyazemsky,
different men in public and secretly, well-known “Malinnik” (“malina” means “a
were ascribed to the lowest category. A sweet berry”), was full of brothels;
concubine – beloved woman of a married Shcherbakov lane… in Moscow – Derbenovka,
man – took more “honorary” place. A Drachevka streets, Sobolev, Pil’nikov
concubine, who lived with unmarried man and Kolosov lanes, in Voronegh –
without official registration, was Yamskaya, Ostroghny bugor, Shchemilovka
honoured equally with a wife. Roman street…”
prostitute Flora bequeathed her fortune Professor N. M. Shchapov writes in his
to people. A holiday of flowers, which book “I Believe in Russia. Family History
was celebrated from the 28th of April to and Memories” (Publishing House of the
the 1st of May, was devoted to Flore. association “Mosgorarhiv”, 1998) that
During those days many naked prostitutes there was a special region with brothels
danced before people. in Moscow. A brothel was called “bardak”
In the Middle Ages the series of there. It was Drachevka street (nowadays,
prostitutes were replenished by traders it is called Trubnaya street) and the
selling people. I. Bloh wrote in his book nearest lanes between Drachevka and
“The History of Prostitution” that in Sretenka streets… Shchapov also describes
Germany young women had been placed in in his book how he visited one of those
brothels by their consent because of the brothels.
debts of their husbands or parents. The Prostitution reached our days: from the
medieval brothels were under the Stone Age to the 3rd millennium. But it
authority of the state, city or Prince. is not a profession today because it
Ecclesiastics and married men weren’t exists out of law.
allowed to visit those houses. There was Technologies of modern prostitution have
a terrible punishment for involving a new also changed. A great amount of
girl in such business – branding, “sex-services” are supplemented with
cutting off the nose, ears, hands, legs blackmail, candid and other attributes of
and even execution. There were also some criminal interests. But the essence of
special houses for repenting prostitutes, the manner is the same: “money – body –
sometimes they were placed at money”. There is a brisk trade today
monasteries. In 1198 the Pope Innokenty (business is business), in which the main
III declared that those men, who married commodity is girls, who lose their
to prostitutes, were given absolution. health, become unable to have children,
But it was too rare that prostitutes ruin themselves by drinking. This trade
married. Even if it happened, they is an out of law trade without any
weren’t allowed to associate with certificate, with a commodity, which
“honoured” women. provokes the rise of social,
Brothels were situated in special psychological and medical problems.






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